Laundry treating appliance having a user interface and methods of operating same

ABSTRACT

A laundry treating appliance includes a treating chamber provided for receiving laundry for treatment, a controller having a memory in which is stored a set of executable instructions including a set of cycles of operations. The laundry treating appliance also includes a user interface operably coupled with the controller and having a touchscreen configured to provide an input and output function for the controller.

BACKGROUND

Laundry treating appliances, such as clothes washers, clothes dryers,refreshers, and non-aqueous systems, can have a configuration based on arotating drum that defines a treating chamber in which laundry items areplaced for treating according to one or more cycles of operation. Thelaundry treating appliance can have a controller that implements thecycles of operation. The controller can control a user interface tocommunicate with a user.

BRIEF SUMMARY

In one aspect, the disclosure relates to a laundry treating appliancefor treating laundry including a treating chamber provided for receivingthe laundry for treatment according to a cycle of operation, adispensing system including a bulk dispenser fluidly coupled with thetreating chamber and configured to deliver a charge of treatingchemistry from at least one of a set of bulk reservoirs to the treatingchamber, a controller having a memory in which is stored a set ofexecutable instructions including the cycle of operation, and a userinterface operably coupled with the controller and having a touchscreenconfigured to provide an input and output function for the controller,wherein the controller is configured to selectively display on the userinterface an icon related to each of the set of bulk reservoirs, whereinthe controller is configured to determine a status of the set of bulkreservoirs and update the display of the icons based on the determinedstatus and wherein the controller is configured to determine a userselection of the icon and display user-selectable parameter selectionsrelated to the bulk dispenser.

In another aspect, the disclosure relates to a method of operating alaundry treating appliance having a dispensing system including a bulkdispenser fluidly coupled with the treating chamber and configured todeliver a charge of treating chemistry from at least one of a set ofbulk reservoirs to the treating chamber, a controller having a memory inwhich is stored a set of executable instructions including a cycle ofoperation, and a user interface operably coupled with the controller andhaving a touchscreen configured to provide an input and output functionfor the controller. The method includes determining, via the controller,a status of the set of bulk reservoirs, displaying, on the touchscreen,icons based on the determining, receiving a user selection of one of thedisplayed icons, and displaying user-selectable parameter selectionsrelated to the bulk dispenser on a second screen view of thetouchscreen.

In another aspect, the disclosure relates to a laundry treatingappliance for treating laundry including a treating chamber provided forreceiving the laundry for treatment according to a cycle of operation, adispensing system including a bulk dispenser fluidly coupled with thetreating chamber and configured to deliver a charge of treatingchemistry from at least one of a set of bulk reservoirs to the treatingchamber, a controller having a memory in which is stored a set ofexecutable instructions including the cycle of operation, and a userinterface operably coupled with the controller and having a touchscreenconfigured to provide an input and output function for the controllerand wherein the touchscreen is configured to selectively display areservoir icon corresponding to each of the set of bulk reservoirs,wherein the controller is configured to selectively display on the userinterface an icon related to each of the bulk reservoirs, wherein thecontroller is configured to determine a status of each of the bulkreservoirs and update the display of the icons based on the determinedstatus and wherein the controller is configured to determine a userselection of one of the icon and display user-selectable parameterselections related to the corresponding bulk reservoir.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

In the drawings:

FIG. 1 is a schematic view of a laundry treating appliance in the formof a washing machine including a display according to various aspectsdescribed herein.

FIG. 2 is a schematic of a control system of the laundry treatingappliance of FIG. 1.

FIG. 3 is a perspective view of an exemplary dispensing system of thelaundry treating appliance of FIG. 1 with a bulk cartridge fullyreceived within a dispensing chamber.

FIG. 4 is an exploded view of the dispensing system illustrated in FIG.3.

FIG. 5 is an alternative perspective view of the dispensing systemillustrated in FIGS. 3-4 with the bulk cartridge partially receivedwithin the dispensing chamber.

FIG. 6 illustrates an exemplary front view of display of the laundrytreating appliance of FIG. 1 having a selection screen.

FIG. 7 illustrates an exemplary front view of a portion of an iconlibrary that can be used in the selection screen of FIG. 6.

FIG. 8 illustrates an exemplary front view of a subscreen that can beaccessed from the selection screen of FIG. 6.

FIG. 9 illustrates an exemplary front view of an additional subscreenthat can be accessed from the subscreen of FIG. 8.

FIG. 10 illustrates an exemplary front view of an additional subscreenthat can be accessed from the subscreen of FIG. 8.

FIG. 11 illustrates an exemplary front view of an exemplary display ofthe laundry treating appliance of FIG. 1 having a cycle selectionscreen.

FIG. 12 illustrates an exemplary front view of a subscreen that can beaccessed from the cycle selection screen of FIG. 11.

FIG. 13 illustrates an exemplary front view of the cycle selectionscreen of FIG. 11 including a first favorite cycle.

FIG. 14 illustrates an exemplary front view of the cycle selectionscreen of FIG. 11 including a second favorite cycle.

FIG. 15 illustrates an exemplary front view of a listing screen that canbe utilized in the display of FIG. 1.

FIG. 16 illustrates an exemplary front view of a completion screen thatcan be utilized in the display of FIG. 1.

FIG. 17 illustrates an exemplary front view of a status screen that canbe utilized in the display of FIG. 1.

FIG. 18 illustrates an exemplary front view of the status screen of FIG.17 including an Add Garment button.

FIG. 19 illustrates an exemplary front view of a confirmation screenthat can be accessed from the status screen of FIG. 18.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

Aspects of the disclosure relate to a touchscreen display for a laundrytreating appliance that can be utilized to control, modify, or selectoperation parameters of the appliance. A controller is operably coupledwith the touchscreen display and various operational components of theappliance are controlled via the controller based on commands or userselections initiated through the touchscreen display. In some instancesthe touchscreen display can provide indication of a status of a bulkdispensing system which can store and dispense multiple doses oftreating chemistry in place of a user manually adding treating chemistryeach time a treating cycle is desired to operate. It can therefore bebeneficial to display a status, including a fullness level, for a bulkreservoir in the bulk dispensing system. Aspects of the disclosure allowsuch a status to be displayed as a dynamically-updated icon which canalso be user-selectable to modify or select parameters associated withthe bulk dispensing system. Examples of statuses indicated by the iconinclude a fill level of a bulk reservoir in the bulk dispensing system,or an operation state (such as active, disabled, or off). In thismanner, the touchscreen display can be tailored and provide a moreintuitive and user-friendly experience for the user.

In addition, the exemplary touchscreen display as used herein can definea human-machine interface (HMI) which can be implemented in a variety ofways. In one example, an audio or speech module can be utilized incombination with the exemplary touchscreen display where a user canspeak commands to be interpreted by the laundry treating appliance anddisplayed on the touchscreen display. In another example, the exemplarytouchscreen display can be connected to other visual feedback mechanismssuch as interior or exterior lighting in the appliance, where upon userselection of a feature on the touchscreen display, one or more lights inthe appliance can flash to confirm a selection. Aspects of thehuman-machine interface capabilities of the laundry treatment appliancewill be described in further detail below.

FIG. 1 is a schematic view of a laundry treating appliance. The laundrytreating appliance can be any appliance which performs a cycle ofoperation to clean or otherwise treat items placed therein, non-limitingexamples of which include a horizontal or vertical axis clothes washer;a clothes dryer; a combination washing machine and dryer; a dispensingdryer; a tumbling or stationary refreshing/revitalizing machine; anextractor; a non-aqueous washing apparatus; and a revitalizing machine.

As used herein, the term “vertical-axis” washing machine refers to awashing machine having a rotatable drum that rotates about a generallyvertical axis relative to a surface that supports the washing machine.However, the rotational axis need not be perfectly vertical to thesurface. The drum can rotate about an axis inclined relative to thevertical axis, with fifteen degrees of inclination being one example ofthe inclination. Similar to the vertical axis washing machine, the term“horizontal-axis” washing machine refers to a washing machine having arotatable drum that rotates about a generally horizontal axis relativeto a surface that supports the washing machine. The drum can rotateabout the axis inclined relative to the horizontal axis, with fifteendegrees of inclination being one example of the inclination.

The laundry treating appliance of FIG. 1 is illustrated as ahorizontal-axis washing machine 10, which can include a structuralsupport system including a cabinet 12, which defines a housing withinwhich a laundry holding system resides. The cabinet 12 can be a housinghaving a chassis and/or a frame, defining an interior enclosingcomponents typically found in a conventional washing machine, such asmotors, pumps, fluid lines, controls, sensors, transducers, and thelike. Such components will not be described further herein except asnecessary for a complete understanding of the disclosure.

The laundry holding system includes a tub 14 supported within thecabinet 12 by a suitable suspension system and a drum 16 provided withinthe tub 14, the drum 16 including an access opening 15 and defining atleast a portion a laundry treating chamber 18 for receiving a laundryload for treatment. The drum 16 can include a plurality of perforations20 such that liquid can flow between the tub 14 and the drum 16 throughthe perforations 20. A plurality of baffles 22 can be disposed on aninner surface of the drum 16 to lift the laundry load received in thetreating chamber 18 while the drum 16 rotates. It can also be within thescope of the disclosure for the laundry holding system to include only atub with the tub defining the laundry treating chamber.

The laundry treating chamber 18 can have an open face that can beselectively closed by a cover, such as a door 24. More specifically, thedoor 24 can be movably mounted to the cabinet 12 to selectively closeboth the tub 14 and the drum 16. A bellows 26 can couple an open face ofthe tub 14 with the cabinet 12, with the door 24 sealing against thebellows 26 when the door 24 closes the tub 14. A lock mechanism 25 canbe provided within the door 24 or cabinet 12 which can be moveablebetween an unlocked position 25U and a locked position 25L, where thelock mechanism 25 is configured to secure the door 24 over the accessopening 15 and tub 14. In the locked position 25L, the lock mechanism 25can engage with, or couple to, at least a portion of the door 24, suchas by a magnetic device, slide mechanism, or other mechanical attachmentsuch as a hook or latch (not shown), and is illustrated schematically inFIG. 1 as moving into a compartment within the door 24. In the unlockedposition 25U, the lock mechanism can disengage with, or decouple from,the at least a portion of the door 24, and is illustrated schematicallyas moving out of the door 24 and into a separate housing or compartmentwithin the cabinet 12. It will be understood that any suitable lockingdevice can be utilized for the lock mechanism 25.

The washing machine 10 can further include a suspension system 28 fordynamically suspending the laundry holding system within the structuralsupport system.

The washing machine 10 can also include at least one balance ring 38containing a balancing material moveable within the balance ring 38 tocounterbalance an imbalance that can be caused by laundry in thetreating chamber 18 during rotation of the drum 16. More specifically,the balance ring 38 can be coupled with the rotating drum 16 andconfigured to compensate for a dynamic imbalance during rotation of therotatable drum 16. The balance ring 38 can extend circumferentiallyaround a periphery of the drum 16 and can be located at any desiredlocation along an axis of rotation of the drum 16. When multiple balancerings 38 are present, they can be equally spaced along the axis ofrotation of the drum 16. For example, in the illustrated example aplurality of balance rings 38 are included in the washing machine 10 andthe plurality of balance rings 38 are operably coupled with oppositeends of the rotatable drum 16.

The washing machine 10 can further include a liquid supply system forsupplying water to the washing machine 10 for use in treating laundryduring a cycle of operation. The liquid supply system can include asource of water, such as a household water supply 40, which can includeseparate valves 42 and 44 for controlling the flow of hot and coldwater, respectively. Water can be supplied through an inlet conduit 46directly to the tub 14 by controlling first and second divertermechanisms 48 and 50, respectively. The diverter mechanisms 48, 50 canbe a diverter valve having two outlets such that the diverter mechanisms48, 50 can selectively direct a flow of liquid to one or both of twoflow paths. Water from the household water supply 40 can flow throughthe inlet conduit 46 to the first diverter mechanism 48 which can directthe flow of liquid to a supply conduit 52. The second diverter mechanism50 on the supply conduit 52 can direct the flow of liquid to a tuboutlet conduit 54 which can be provided with a spray nozzle 56configured to spray the flow of liquid into the tub 14. In this manner,water from the household water supply 40 can be supplied directly to thetub 14.

The washing machine 10 can also be provided with a dispensing system 60for dispensing treating chemistry to the treating chamber 18 for use intreating the laundry according to a cycle of operation. The dispensingsystem 60 can include at least one single-use dispensing chamber 60Athat stores a single dose of treating chemistry that the dispensingsystem 60 dispenses to the treating chamber and/or the drum 16, as partof the execution of the treating cycle.

As used herein, the term “single dose of treating chemistry” andvariations thereof refer to an amount of treating chemistry sufficientfor one treating cycle of the automatic clothes washing machine 10, andthe term “multiple doses of treating chemistry” and variations thereof,refers to an amount of treating chemistry sufficient for multipletreating cycles of the automatic clothes washing machine 10.

Further, the dispensing system 60 can include a dispensing cup 61 thatdefines the at least one single-use dispensing chamber 60A. Thedispensing cup 61 can, for example, be fixed to the cabinet or slidablerelative to the cabinet. In either case the dispensing cup 61 will beaccessible either through the cabinet 12 or exteriorly of the cabinet 12for refilling purposes. The dispensing system 60 can also include ahousing 62 located within the cabinet 12 and underlying the dispensingcup 61 when the dispensing cup 61 can be filled and ready fordispensing. The dispensing cup 61 and the single-use dispensing chamber60A fluidly couple the housing 62 such that when the dispensing cup 61or dispensing chamber 60A can be flushed with water from the supply 40,the resulting mixture of water and chemistry can be directed to thehousing 62, where the mixture flows into the drum 16 through dispensingoutlet conduit 64.

The flushing of the chemistry from the dispensing cup 61 can beaccomplished in any suitable manner. For example, a siphon line (notshown) can be provided and fluidly coupled to the dispensing cup 61 suchthat as the water from the supply 40 rises to an inlet to the siphonline, the mixture in the dispensing cup 61 can be siphoned out of thedispensing cup 61 and into the housing 62. Another exemplary techniqueincludes overflowing the dispensing cup 61 with water, such that themixture overflows from the dispensing cup 61 and into the dispenserhousing 62.

It is contemplated that a bulk dispensing cartridge 100 can be receivedin the dispensing cup 61 or the housing 62 to define a bulk dispensingchamber 60B. The bulk dispensing cartridge 100 can be any type ofremovable container configured to store multiple doses of a treatingchemistry. The container can have any shape and size that is receivablewithin the dispenser 60. The bulk dispensing cartridge 100 can beflexible, rigid, expandable, or collapsible. The bulk dispensingcartridge 100 can be made of any type of material. Some examples ofsuitable cartridges are, without limitation, a plastic container, acardboard container, a coated cardboard container, and a bladder, all ofwhich are capable of being received within the dispenser.

The cabinet 12 can include a treating chemistry meter 67 operablycoupled to the bulk dispensing cartridge 100 to control the dosing ofthe treating chemistry from the bulk dispensing cartridge 100 to thedispensing system 60 or a conduit that can be formed by the dispenserhousing 62 and the dispensing outlet conduit 64 which in turn fluidlycouples the drum 16. The treating chemistry meter 67 can be a pump, avalve, a flow meter, or any other suitable metering device fluidlycoupling the bulk dispensing cartridge 100 to the dispensing system 60.More specifically the bulk dispensing cartridge 100 can be fluidlycoupled to the dispenser housing 62, the dispensing cup 61, or anotherdispensing chamber (not shown) through the treating chemistry meter 67when the dispensing cup 61 can be in the closed position. The dispensingsystem 60 and treating chemistry meter 67 can be operably coupled withthe controller 95 such that the controller 95 can implement the treatingcycle by controlling the operation of the treating chemistry meter 67 tocontrol the dosing of the treating chemistry from the bulk dispensingcartridge 100 to the dispensing system 60.

The treating chemistry meter 67 can dose treating chemistry into thedrum 16 multiple times during a single treating cycle. Dosing of thetreating chemistry does not need to be done all at one time. Forexample, smaller amounts of treating chemistry, equal to a full singledose, can be dispensed by the treating chemistry meter 67 at separatetimes throughout the treating cycle. Further, multiple full doses can bedispensed during the treating cycle.

The dispensing system 60 can also include one or more bulk reservoirs.By way of non-limiting example, a bulk reservoir 69 has been illustratedas being provided within a lower portion of the cabinet 12. The bulkreservoir 69 can be configured as a bulk tank to store multiple doses oftreating chemistry. By way of non-limiting example it is contemplatedthat the bulk reservoir 69 can include a greater number of doses thancan be stored in the bulk dispensing cartridge 100. The bulk reservoir69 can be filled by pouring treating chemistry into the bulk reservoir69. Alternatively, the bulk reservoir 69 can be replaceable. As yetanother non-limiting alternative, the bulk reservoir 69 can be alifetime supply reservoir including a tank located within the interiorof the cabinet. In such an instance the bulk reservoir can be concealedsuch that it is non-refillable, inaccessible, and not openable, alifetime supply of treating chemistry stored in the lifetime supplyreservoir, wherein the lifetime supply of treating chemistry includes apredetermined number of doses of treating chemistry for multiple cyclesof operation and where the lifetime supply of treating chemistry isconfigured to last for an expected lifetime of the laundry appliancebased on a designed useful life of the laundry appliance determined by amanufacturer. In addition, the bulk reservoir 69 can be fluidly coupledto the dispensing outlet conduit 64, including by use of a bulk tankpump 69P, such that treating chemistry stored in the bulk reservoir 69can be dispensed into the treating chamber 18 or be directed into one ofthe conduits, fluid, or recirculation systems previously described.

Regardless of the type of dispenser used, the dispenser 62 can beconfigured to deliver a charge, dose, or variable amount of treatingchemistry directly to the tub 14 or mixed with water from the liquidsupply system through a dispensing outlet conduit 64. The dispensingoutlet conduit 64 can include a dispensing nozzle 66 configured todispense the treating chemistry into the tub 14 in a desired pattern andunder a desired amount of pressure. For example, the dispensing nozzle66 can be configured to dispense a flow or stream of treating chemistryinto the tub 14 by gravity, i.e. a non-pressurized stream. Water can besupplied to the dispenser 62 from the supply conduit 52 by directing thediverter mechanism 50 to direct the flow of water to a dispensing supplyconduit 68.

Non-limiting examples of treating chemistries that can be dispensed bythe dispensing system during a cycle of operation include one or more ofthe following: water, enzymes, fragrances, stiffness/sizing agents,wrinkle releasers/reducers, softeners, antistatic or electrostaticagents, stain repellants, water repellants, energy reduction/extractionaids, antibacterial agents, medicinal agents, vitamins, moisturizers,shrinkage inhibitors, and color fidelity agents, and combinationsthereof.

The washing machine 10 can also include a recirculation and drain systemfor recirculating liquid within the laundry holding system and drainingliquid from the washing machine 10. Liquid supplied to the tub 14through tub outlet conduit 54 and/or the dispensing outlet conduit 64typically enters a space between the tub 14 and the drum 16 and can flowby gravity to a sump 70 formed in part by a lower portion of the tub 14.The sump 70 can also be formed by a sump conduit 72 that can fluidlycouple the lower portion of the tub 14 to a pump 74. The pump 74 candirect liquid to a drain conduit 76, which can drain the liquid from thewashing machine 10, or to a recirculation conduit 78, which canterminate at a recirculation inlet 80. The recirculation inlet 80 candirect the liquid from the recirculation conduit 78 into the drum 16.The recirculation inlet 80 can introduce the liquid into the drum 16 inany suitable manner, such as by spraying, dripping, or providing asteady flow of liquid. In this manner, liquid provided to the tub 14,with or without treating chemistry can be recirculated into the treatingchamber 18 for treating the laundry within.

The liquid supply and/or recirculation and drain system can be providedwith a heating system which can include one or more devices for heatinglaundry and/or liquid supplied to the tub 14, such as a steam generator82 and/or a sump heater 84. Liquid from the household water supply 40can be provided to the steam generator 82 through the inlet conduit 46by controlling the first diverter mechanism 48 to direct the flow ofliquid to a steam supply conduit 86. Steam generated by the steamgenerator 82 can be supplied to the tub 14 through a steam outletconduit 87. The steam generator 82 can be any suitable type of steamgenerator such as a flow through steam generator or a tank-type steamgenerator. Alternatively, the sump heater 84 can be used to generatesteam in place of or in addition to the steam generator 82. In additionor alternatively to generating steam, the steam generator 82 and/or sumpheater 84 can be used to heat the laundry and/or liquid within the tub14 as part of a cycle of operation.

Additionally, the liquid supply and recirculation and drain system candiffer from the configuration shown in FIG. 1, such as by inclusion ofother valves, conduits, treating chemistry dispensers, sensors, such aswater level sensors and temperature sensors, and the like, to controlthe flow of liquid through the washing machine 10 and for theintroduction of more than one type of treating chemistry.

The washing machine 10 also includes a drive system for rotating thedrum 16 within the tub 14. The drive system can include a motor 88 forrotationally driving the drum 16. The motor 88 can be directly coupledwith the drum 16 through a drive shaft 90 to rotate the drum 16 about arotational axis during a cycle of operation. The motor 88 can be abrushless permanent magnet (BPM) motor having a stator 92 and a rotor94. Alternately, the motor 88 can be coupled with the drum 16 through abelt and a drive shaft to rotate the drum 16, as can be known in theart. Other motors, such as an induction motor or a permanent splitcapacitor (PSC) motor, can also be used. The motor 88 can rotationallydrive the drum 16 including that the motor 88 can rotate the drum 16 atvarious speeds in either rotational direction.

The control system can control the operation of the washing machine 10to implement one or more cycles of operation. The control system caninclude a controller 95 located within the cabinet 12 and a userinterface 96 that can be operably coupled with the controller 95. Theuser interface 96 can provide an input and output function for thecontroller. The user interface 96 can include one or more knobs, dials,switches, displays, touchscreens, and the like for communicating withthe user, such as to receive input and provide output. For example, thedisplays can include any suitable communication technology includingthat of a liquid crystal display (LCD), a light-emitting diode (LED)array, or any suitable display that can convey a message to the user.The user can enter different types of information including, withoutlimitation, cycle selection and cycle parameters, such as cycle options.Other communications paths and methods can also be included in thewashing machine 10 and can allow the controller 95 to communicate withthe user in a variety of ways. For example, the controller 95 can beconfigured to send a text message to the user, send an electronic mailto the user, or provide audio information to the user either through thewashing machine 10 or utilizing another device such as a mobile phone.

The controller 95 can include the machine controller and any additionalcontrollers provided for controlling any of the components of thewashing machine 10. For example, the controller 95 can include themachine controller and a motor controller. Many known types ofcontrollers can be used for the controller 95. It can be contemplatedthat the controller can be a microprocessor-based controller thatimplements control software and sends/receives one or more electricalsignals to/from each of the various working components to effect thecontrol software. As an example, proportional control (P), proportionalintegral control (PI), and proportional derivative control (PD), or acombination thereof, a proportional integral derivative control (PIDcontrol), can be used to control the various components.

As illustrated in FIG. 2, the controller 95 can be provided with amemory 98 and a central processing unit (CPU) 99. The memory 98 can beused for storing the control software that can be executed by the CPU 99in completing a cycle of operation using the washing machine 10 and anyadditional software. For example, the memory 98 can store a set ofexecutable instructions 98E including at least one user-selectable cycleof operation. Examples, without limitation, of cycles of operationinclude: wash, heavy duty wash, delicate wash, quick wash, pre-wash,refresh, rinse only, and timed wash, and also various parametersassociated with cycles of operation such as hot/warm/cold wash,hot/warm/cold rinse, spin speed, or agitation strength. The memory 98can also be used to store information, such as a database or table, andto store data received from one or more components of the washingmachine 10 that can be communicably coupled with the controller 95. Thedatabase or table can be used to store the various operating parametersfor the one or more cycles of operation, including factory defaultvalues for the operating parameters and any adjustments to them by thecontrol system or by user input.

The memory 98 can further include a set of graphical files 98G which canbe displayed on the user interface 96 in a variety of contexts. Thegraphical files 98G can include icons to be utilized in menus, toolbars,and the like. Additionally, the graphical files 98G can also includeimages which can be larger, more detailed, or have a higher resolutionthan icons, and these images can be utilized in backgrounds of screenelements or in other places. Other examples of graphical files 98G whichcan be used as icons or images include animated images or video clips,according to desired uses and processing power within the controller 95.

The controller 95 can be operably coupled with one or more components ofthe washing machine 10 for communicating with and controlling theoperation of the component to complete a cycle of operation. Forexample, the controller 95 can be operably coupled with the motor 88,the pump 74, the dispenser 62, the steam generator 82 and the sumpheater 84 to control the operation of these and other components toimplement one or more of the cycles of operation.

The controller 95 can also be coupled with one or more sensors Sprovided in one or more of the systems of the washing machine 10 toreceive input from the sensors, which are known in the art and not shownfor simplicity. Non-limiting examples of sensors S that can becommunicably coupled with the controller 95 include: a treating chambertemperature sensor, a moisture sensor, a weight sensor, a chemicalsensor, a position sensor, an imbalance sensor, a load size sensor, anda motor torque sensor, which can be used to determine a variety ofsystem and laundry characteristics, such as laundry load inertia ormass.

FIG. 3 illustrates an exemplary dispenser 60 in more detail includingillustrating that it can be a drawer-type dispenser. More specifically,the housing 62 of the dispensing system 60 shown includes a lowerdispenser housing 102, an upper dispenser housing 104 (shown inphantom), a dispenser drawer 106, a dispenser drawer handle 108, a cupcover 110, the bulk dispensing cartridge 100 configured to storemultiple doses of a treating chemistry, and a bulk dispenser pump 114.The dispensing system 60 can be unique in that the dispensing dispenserdrawer 106 can be a manual dispenser that can receive the bulkdispensing cartridge 100 to add bulk dispensing functionality to asingle use dispensing system.

The lower dispenser housing 102 can be located within the cabinet 12 andunderlying the dispenser drawer 106 when the dispenser drawer 106 sitsin a closed position as illustrated in FIG. 3 The lower dispenserhousing 102 can carry the treating chemistry meter 67, depicted in FIG.3 as bulk dispenser pump 114, such that when the dispenser drawer 106 isin the closed position the bulk dispensing cartridge 100 fluidly couplesthe lower dispenser housing 102 through the bulk dispenser pump 114 andthrough a lower dispenser housing second port 115 (shown in phantom).Thus, when the dispenser drawer 106 is in the closed position the bulkdispenser pump 114 can draw treating chemistry from the bulk dispensingcartridge 100 and dispense it to the lower dispenser housing 102.

The upper dispenser housing 104 can be located within the cabinet 12 andoverlying the dispenser drawer 106 when the dispenser drawer 106 sits ina closed position. The water supply 40 can be fluidly coupled to eitherof the dispenser drawer 106 or the lower dispenser housing 102 via theupper dispenser housing 104, a water diverter 116 (FIG. 4), thedispensing supply conduit 68 (FIG. 1), and the diverter mechanism 50(FIG. 1), which can be operably controlled by the controller 95.Further, either of the dispenser drawer 106 or the lower dispenserhousing 102 can be fluidly coupled to the drum 16 (FIG. 1) via the lowerdispenser housing 102 and the dispensing outlet conduit 64. With thisconfiguration, water can be provided from the supply to either of thelower dispenser housing 102 or the dispenser drawer 106 to flush atreating chemistry to the treating chamber through the dispensing outletconduit 64. In this way, the lower dispenser housing 102 and thedispensing outlet conduit 64 can be described as forming a conduit tothe treating chamber.

The structure of the bulk dispenser 60 will be described in greaterdetail with regard to FIG. 4, which illustrates an exploded view of thedispensing system 60 of FIG. 3. Beginning with the details of the lowerdispenser housing 102, it can be seen that the lower dispenser housing102 can have a sloped back wall 118 and a sloped bottom wall 120, andthat an outlet port 122 can be located at the front of the sloped bottomwall 120. The outlet port 122 fluidly couples the drum 16 through thedispensing outlet conduit 64. The lower dispenser housing 102 also canhave several other ports 124, 126, 128 of which, only port 124 can berelevant to the disclosure in the exemplary dispenser illustratedherein. Port 124 can be fluidly coupled by dispensing supply conduit 68and diverter mechanism 50 to the water supply 40.

The dispenser drawer 106 defines at least one dispensing chamber fluidlycoupled to the treating chamber and used as a treating chemistrycompartment to store a single dose of liquid treating chemistry to bedispensed by the dispensing system as part of the execution of atreating cycle of the automatic washing machine 10. The dispenser drawercan include multiple dispensing chambers, and is illustrated in theexample of FIG. 3 with three dispensing chambers 130, 132, 134 that actas treating chemistry reservoirs or compartments that can hold liquid orpowdered treating chemistry, such as laundry detergent, fabric softener,bleach, and the like. The dispenser drawer 106 fluidly couples to thelower dispenser housing 102 such that when any of the dispensingchambers 130, 132, and 134 are flushed with water from the supply 40,the resulting mixture of water and chemistry can be dispensed to thelower dispenser housing 102, where it can be carried by dispensingoutlet conduit 64 to the drum 16.

Looking at the upper dispenser housing 104, the upper dispenser housing104 can be formed such that water paths 136 can be located in itsinterior. Water entering the port 124 can be supplied to the waterdiverter 116 and can be directed through a water diverter outlet 138into one of several different water paths 136, formed internally in theupper dispenser housing 104, to various portions of the lower dispenserhousing 102 and to various portions of the dispenser drawer 106. Thewater can then flush any treating chemistry therein to form a mixture,which can then travel through the outlet port 122 in the lower dispenserhousing 102, through the dispensing outlet conduit 64, and into the drum16.

The water diverter 116, and thus the water diverter outlet 138, can beoperably coupled with the controller 95. Thus the water diverter 116,operated by the controller 95, can operate to selectively control thefluid coupling of the water diverter outlet 138 with different waterpaths 136. The water diverter 116, operated by the controller 95, candivert a flow of water through one of the different water paths 136 tothe bulk dispensing chamber 60B in the absence of the bulk dispensingcartridge 100 and through another of the different water paths 136 tothe lower dispenser housing 102 in the presence of the bulk dispensingcartridge 100.

In the embodiment shown, the cup cover 110 when inserted into thedispenser drawer 106 overlies a portion of the dispenser drawer 106 andmore specifically overlies at least a portion of dispensing chambers130, 132. The cup cover 110 hides siphon posts 140, 142, which arefluidly coupled to the lower dispenser housing 102. When the chambers130, 132 are flushed with water, the mixture of water and chemistry willbe siphoned into the lower dispenser housing 102 through the siphonposts 140, 142. In this manner the dispenser drawer 106 includes atleast one non-bulk dispensing cup 61 having a dispenser siphonconfigured to remove liquid from the at least one non-bulk dispensingcup 61.

To effect the coupling of the bulk dispensing cartridge 100 with thedispenser pump 114, a coupler 146 can be provided within a port 124 ofthe bulk dispensing cartridge 100. When the dispenser drawer 106 lies inthe closed position, port 126 can be received within the coupler 146wherein the coupler 146 then fluidly couples the port 126 with thedispenser pump 114. The dispenser pump outlet 148 fluidly couples withthe second port 115 in the lower dispenser housing 102. Thus thedispenser pump 114 can be controlled by the controller 95 to supply atreating chemistry from the bulk dispensing cartridge 100 to the conduitformed of the lower dispenser housing 102 and dispensing outlet conduit64, which can then go to the treating chamber, such as the drum 16.

The dispenser drawer 106 can be slideably mounted to the lower dispenserhousing 102 for slidable movement between an opened position (FIG. 5),where the at least one dispensing chamber can be accessible exteriorlyof the cabinet 12, and a closed position (FIG. 3), where the at leastone dispensing chamber can be within the cabinet 12. The dispenserdrawer handle 108 can be used to effect the movement of the dispenserdrawer 106.

By way of overview, one aspect of the human-machine interface utilizedby the washing machine 10 generally relates to dynamically updated iconsthat inform a user of the status of an internal component of the washingmachine 10, as well as the ability of a user to manipulate or interactwith those icons to adjust an operation parameter of a component withinthe washing machine 10. In the case of bulk dispensers, dynamicallyupdated icons on the user interface can be especially helpful as a usermay not know how much treating chemistry remains in the dispenser.

FIG. 6 generally illustrates at least an exemplary portion of the userinterface 96. The user interface 96 can be provided on the front of thecabinet 12 or on any other suitable portion such as an outer panel ofthe door 24. The user interface 96 can include operational controls suchas dials, lights, switches, and displays enabling a user to inputcommands to the controller 95 and receive information about the selectedtreating cycle and operating parameters. In the illustrated example, theuser interface 96 has been illustrated as including a touch-sensitivedisplay or touchscreen 150.

The touchscreen 150 can provide the user with multiple screens ofinformation related to information indicating actions taken by thelaundry treating appliance, information indicating consequences ofactions taken by the laundry treating appliance, or user-selectableactions or instructions for the appliance. To facilitate suchselections, the touchscreen 150 receives input from a user and displaysoutput to the user. The controller 95 can receive input from the userthrough the touchscreen 150 and display visual outputs to the user inthe form of graphics, texts, icons, video, and any combination thereof.The touchscreen 150 can receive input from the user based on tactilecontact, such as by a user touching the touchscreen 150 with an object,such as a finger. The controller 95 can detect contact, includingmovement of the contact, on the touchscreen 150 and convert the detectedcontact into interaction with objects displayed on the touchscreen 150such as graphics, text, or icons. The controller 95 can be programmed todetect contact, or movement of a contact, according to any knownmethodology.

The touchscreen 150 can be any suitable type of touchscreen displayincluding a liquid crystal display, LED display, or a light-emittingpolymer display (LPD). Non-limiting examples of suitable touch sensingtechnologies that can be used with the touchscreen 150 includecapacitive, resistive, infrared, pressure, and surface acoustic waves.

The controller 95 can be provided with software in the memory 98 (FIG.2) which can be executed by the CPU 99 to sequentially display on thetouchscreen 150 and navigate through a variety of input/output screens,illustrated as a selection screen 151, based on the user input receivedfrom the touchscreen 150. Each input/output screen can provide the userwith the opportunity to input information to control the operation ofthe washing machine 10 and can provide output to communicate informationwith the user.

While described in the context of a touchscreen 150 through which theuser can directly interact with the selection screen 151, the user canalso interact with the selection screen 151 indirectly using any othersuitable type of input mechanism, non-limiting examples of which includea mouse, a track ball, a joystick, a dial, or one or more buttons,switches, or keys.

The selection screen 151 includes a panel 155, which can be a partitionor region of the selection screen 151 demarcated for entering aparameter selection from a user. As used herein, “parameter” will referto any user-selectable feature which can be implemented in the washingmachine 10, non-limiting examples of which include any or all of thefollowing, or in any combination: deactivate a bulk dispenser; activatea bulk dispenser; deactivate a single-use dispenser; activate asingle-use dispenser; set a treating chemistry concentration, includinga detergent concentration; change a treating chemistry concentration,including a detergent concentration; pause a cycle of operation; prompta user to add a garment to the treating chamber 18; prompt a user torestart a cycle of operation; select or change a treating cycletemperature; select or change an agitation strength for a treatingcycle; select or change a treating cycle time duration; or select orchange a treating cycle spin speed.

The selection screen 151 can also include a set of icons 160representing various functions which can be implemented by the washingmachine 10; in non-limiting examples, a speaker can be used to representa volume adjuster, or a light bulb can be used to represent a lightswitch. As used herein, “representing” in the context of the set oficons 160 can refer to user-selectable functions available regarding awashing machine component indicated by the icon 160, wherein tapping,pressing, or swiping gestures can be used with each icon in the set 160to generate a menu, additional selection screens, or other programfeatures available for the represented component in the user interface96.

The set of icons 160 can further include a first icon 161 labeled with“Chamber 1” representing the bulk reservoir 69 and a second icon 162labeled with “Chamber 2” representing the bulk dispensing cartridge 100.It is further contemplated that the first and second icons 161, 162 canbe dynamically updated in real time during operation of the washingmachine 10; in the example of FIG. 6, the first and second icons 161,162 can indicate a status of the respective bulk reservoir and cartridge69, 100 and can also be dynamically updated in operation. It should beunderstood that while illustrated in the context of the bulk reservoir69 and bulk dispensing cartridge 100, aspects of the disclosure can beutilized in a laundry treating appliance having any number ofreservoirs, tanks, or cartridges, such as two bulk tanks, three bulkcartridges and a single bulk tank, and the like, in non-limitingexamples. Thus the bulk reservoir 69 and bulk dispensing cartridge 100can be considered as “first and second bulk reservoirs,” respectively,with reasonable modifications contemplated within the spirit of thepresent disclosure.

Turning to FIG. 7, an exemplary image database or icon library 170 isillustrated which can be utilized for the first or second icons 161,162. The icon library 170 can be stored in the memory 98 (FIG. 2) suchas being incorporated as a portion of the set of graphical files 98G andaccessible by the controller 95 or CPU 99. The controller 95 or CPU 99can run the set of executable instructions 98E to display the iconlibrary 170 or access the icon library 170. Alternatively, thecontroller 95 or CPU 99 can be operably coupled to the icon library 170.For example, such an icon library 170 can be stored on an alternativecomputer or controller. It will be understood that the icon library 170can be any suitable database, including a single database havingmultiple sets of icons, multiple discrete databases linked together, oreven a simple table. It is contemplated that the icon library 170 canincorporate a number of databases or that the icon library 170 canactually be a number of separate databases. The icon library 170 canstore data that can include, among other things user loaded images,manufacturer images or graphics or icons. The icon library 170 can beaccessible to a user via the user interface 96, for example if a userdesires to customize an icon 160, or the icon library 170 can also beimplemented such that only the controller 95 can be granted access.

A first set 171, second set 172, and third set 173 of icons can indicatea fill level of the bulk reservoir 69 or bulk dispensing cartridge 100.In the first set 171, the first icon 171A and second icon 171Billustrate a “reservoir/chamber level OK” condition wherein therespective bulk reservoir or cartridge 69, 100 are full, nearly full, orfilled beyond a threshold level such as 70% of the capacity of thereservoir 69 or the cartridge 100, in non-limiting examples.

In the second set 172, the first icon 172A and second icon 172Billustrate a “reservoir/chamber level low” condition wherein therespective bulk reservoir and cartridge 69, 100 are nearly empty, filledbelow a threshold level such as 20%, or contain only one use (or charge)of treating chemistry when more can be expected, in non-limitingexamples.

In the third set 173 the first icon 173A and second icon 173B illustratea “reservoir/chamber empty” condition wherein the respective bulkreservoir and cartridge 69, 100 are empty, in need of refilling, filledbelow a threshold level such as 5%, filled below a threshold level lessthan that of the second set 172, or filled below a level sufficient foruse in a treating cycle, in non-limiting examples.

A fourth and fifth set of icons 174, 175, respectively, can indicateanother operation status of the bulk reservoir 69 or bulk dispensingcartridge 100. In the fourth set 174, the first icon 174A and secondicon 174B illustrate a “bulk dispensing disabled” condition wherein therespective bulk reservoir and cartridge 69, 100 are inactive or disabledfor a single treating cycle, such as a treating cycle currently inoperation or the next treating cycle to be implemented after a currenttreating cycle finishes. In the fifth set 175, the first icon 175A andsecond icon 175B illustrate a “bulk dispensing off” condition whereinthe respective bulk reservoir and cartridge 69, 100 are inactive ordisabled for more than one treating cycle or for a desired number oftreating cycles following a cycle currently in operation, innon-limiting examples. In such a case, a user can manually re-activatethe bulk reservoir 69 or bulk dispensing cartridge 100, or the washingmachine 10 can automatically re-activate the bulk reservoir or cartridge69, 100 based on a program of operation implemented by the controller95.

It will be understood that icons in the icon library 170 illustrated inFIG. 7 can be utilized in various combinations. In one example, the bulkreservoir 69 can be full while the bulk dispensing cartridge 100 can bedisabled for a single treating cycle, in which case the bulk reservoir69 “Chamber 1” can be represented by the first icon 171A in the firstset 171 while the bulk dispensing cartridge 100 “Chamber 2” can berepresented by the second icon 174B in the fourth set 174. Thus thedynamic updating of icons displayed on the touchscreen 150 can reflectthe statuses of the bulk reservoir and cartridge 69, 100 in real time.It will be understood that the icon library 170 can be utilized on anydesired selection screen 151, including in any desired menu or submenu,or in a top or bottom status bar, or within a user-selectabletouchscreen button, in non-limiting examples.

It is further contemplated that the first and second icons 161, 162 ofFIG. 6 can be user-selectable on the touchscreen 150. Referring now toFIG. 8, another selection screen illustrated as a first subscreen 151Ais shown which can be displayed to a user upon selecting the “Chamber 1”icon 161 of FIG. 6. The first subscreen 151A illustrates parameterselections which can be selected by a user, illustrated as a status 180of the bulk reservoir 69 as well as a concentration 182 of treatingchemistry to be supplied from the bulk reservoir 69; non-limitingparameters which can be selected include “Deactivate,” “Activate,” “SetDetergent Concentration,” or “Change Detergent Concentration.”

FIG. 9 illustrates a second subscreen 151B which can be displayed upon auser selecting the status 180, where a slider bar 190 can be utilized toset the bulk reservoir 69 between “Active,” “Disabled,” or “Off” bysliding a marker 192 between various locations 194 of the slider bar190. The “Active” status can be selected by placing the marker 192 at aleftmost location 194 along the slider bar 190; in FIG. 9 the secondsubscreen 151B illustrates that the “Disabled” status is selected byplacing the marker 192 at a middle location 194 halfway along the sliderbar 190, while in FIG. 10 the “Off” status is selected by placing themarker 192 to the rightmost location 194 on the slider bar 190 in thesecond subscreen 151B. A user can press a “Save” button 196 to set thestatus of the bulk reservoir 69; in another example, the washing machine10 can automatically set the status of the reservoir 69 if a user waitslonger than a certain amount of time such as 30 seconds after selectinga status using the slider bar 190. Once a status 180 or concentration182 is selected by a user, the touchscreen 150 can return to theselection screen 151 shown in FIG. 6 and the first icon 161 for “Chamber1” representing the bulk reservoir 69 can be updated to reflect theselected status 180 by way of the fourth or fifth set of icons 174, 175(FIG. 7). Alternately, user selection of a status 180 on the secondsubscreen 151B can also cause the touchscreen 150 to return to the firstsubscreen 151A for further parameter selection.

It will be appreciated that other implementations can be used in placeof the slider bar 190, including a text menu, touchscreen buttonoptions, or scrolling display, in non-limiting examples. Furthermore,aspects illustrated in FIGS. 8-10 can also be utilized for the bulkdispensing cartridge 100 by a user selecting (i.e. by tapping, pressing,swiping, or other gestures) the second icon 162 “Chamber 2” of FIG. 6.It will also be appreciated that the use of dynamically updated icons asdescribed herein, while illustrated in the context of a status of a bulkreservoir, is not so limited and any component within the washingmachine 10 can be represented by a dynamically-updated status icon onthe touchscreen 150.

In this manner, the controller 95 can be configured to selectivelydisplay on the user interface 96 any icon within the icon library 170related to each of the bulk reservoirs 69, 100, where the controller 95is configured to determine a status of the bulk reservoir and cartridge69, 100 and update the touchscreen display 150 based on the determinedstatus such as “full,” “empty,” “disabled,” and so on. The controller 95can also be configured to determine or receive a user selection of thefirst or second icons 161, 162 on the selection screen or subscreen151A, and also to display user-selectable parameter selections relatedto the respective bulk reservoir and cartridge 69, 100 on the selectionscreen or subscreen 151B of the touchscreen 150.

The previously described washing machine 10 can be used to implement oneor more aspects of the present disclosure including a method ofoperating a laundry treating appliance wherein the controller 95 candetermine the status of either or both of the bulk reservoir andcartridge 69, 100. It will be understood that the controller 95 candetermine the status of either or both of the bulk reservoir andcartridge 69, 100 from input from the user. Alternatively oradditionally the controller can determine the status of either or bothof the bulk reservoir 69 and bulk dispensing cartridge 100 via one ormore indicators, sensors, or the like. By way of non-limiting example,the bulk reservoir and cartridge 69, 100 can include sensor(s) (notshown) sensing the amount of treating chemistry therein. The sensors canbe any suitable type of sensor or indicator, such as a float indicator,for sensing or indicating the amount of treating chemistry in the bulkreservoir and cartridge 69, 100. The sensor can also senses the amountof treating chemistry or the presence or absence of treating chemistry.Further, the sensor can sense the presence of the bulk dispensingcartridge 100 or the bulk reservoir 69 in general. Regardless of thetype, the sensor can send a signal to the controller 95 to indicate theamount of the treating chemistry or the presence of treating chemistryor the respective reservoir. The foregoing description can be of anexemplary location. Other locations can be utilized for the sensor, forexample, such as being incorporated into the dispensing supply conduit64, as part of the bulk reservoir 69, or into a part of the dispenserhousing 62.

Upon a determined status by the controller 95, the controller 95 canoperate the user interface 96 such that the touchscreen 150 canselectively display first or second icons 161, 162 based on thedetermined status of the reservoirs 69, 100. Upon user selection of oneof the first or second icons 161, 162, the touchscreen 150 can displayalternate selection screens such as the subscreens 151A, 151B whichinclude user-selectable parameter selections related to the bulkreservoir or cartridge 69, 100. Furthermore, the displayed icons relatedto the reservoirs 69, 100 can be determined repeatedly by the controller95. Repeatedly can include continuously or at specific time intervalssuch as including, but not limited to within a range of every 5 secondsto every 15 minutes. Repeatedly can also include at the beginning of anynumber of cycles of operation including at the beginning of each cycleof operation. Additionally, the controller 95 can repeatedly determinethe user-selected parameter selections such as the detergentconcentration 182 or status 180, and the washing machine 10 can thus beoperated according to a user-selected treating cycle and the determineduser-selected parameter selections.

Another aspect of the human-machine interface utilized in the washingmachine 10 that can increase the user experience is the ability toinclude favorite cycles. In one example, the washing machine 10 caninclude a “wizard” or software/setup guide that allows a user to build acustom treating cycle and save as a favorite cycle 270 with anassociated favorite image 275. The “wizard” can systematically guide auser through a variety of parameters and allow the user to establish acustomized favorite cycle 270 which will be saved by the washing machine10.

More specifically, referring now to FIG. 11, the controller 95 can beconfigured to selectively display a cycle selection screen 251 which canalso act as the “wizard” or software guide to create a favorite cycle270 represented by a favorite image 275. The cycle selection screen 251is illustrated as including multiple user-selectable parameters for atreating cycle. It will be understood that the software guide caninclude any selection of any number of parameters of any modificationsof a specific cycle. By way of non-limiting example, it is illustratedthat, a first option 261 includes temperature settings, a second option262 includes a number of rinses, a third option 263 includes cycletimes, and a fourth option 264 includes spin speeds. It should beunderstood that other cycle options not explicitly described, includingthe selection of water reuse, independent wash and rinse temperatures,agitation strength, application of steam, or pretreatment options, innon-limiting examples.

The cycle selection screen 251 can also include a “Create a Favorite”wizard launch button 269 which can guide a user through the selection ofparameters including the options 261, 262, 263, 264 which could beoptions included in a favorite cycle 270. In non-limiting examples, thelaunch button 269 can instruct the controller 95 to display explanations(not illustrated) of when a cold or hot water wash would be appropriateor the benefits of single vs. dual rinse cycles, or the launch button269 can also prompt the user to answer a series of questions wherein thecontroller 95 can automatically select appropriate treating cycleparameters based on the user's answers. Furthermore, the launch button269 can be implemented as a text-based icon, static image, moving image,or dynamically-updated image as desired.

The cycle selection screen 251 can also be utilized to select parametersfor a treating cycle without creating a favorite cycle 270. In such acase, a user can simply select each desired parameter such as theoptions 261, 262, 263, 264 without pressing the launch button 269.

Upon selection of the treating cycle parameters, FIG. 12 illustratesthat a subscreen 251A can be displayed (e.g. upon an automatic prompt bythe controller 95 when all treating cycle parameters have been selected,in a non-limiting example) wherein a user can save a current treatingcycle as a favorite cycle 270. The subscreen 251A can include a namebutton 272 and an image button 274 which allow a user to associate aname 273 and favorite image 275, respectively, with their customizedfavorite cycle 270 (seen in further detail in FIG. 13). The subscreen251A can also include a save button or icon 276 which can be used tosave a new favorite cycle 270 as desired; the save button 276 can betext-based or icon-based, or include a mixture of text and icon imagesas desired.

The controller 95 can be configured to utilize the image button 274 tosearch for a user-selectable image 292 from the memory 98, which caninclude a pre-existing database 290 from which a plurality ofuser-selectable images 292 can be displayed and stored. In anon-limiting example, the controller 95 can display several images 292,such as from the set of graphical files 98G, on the touchscreen 150 fromwhich a user can select an image to be associated with the favoritecycle 270. Once the image is associated with the favorite cycle it isconsidered the “favorite image 275.” It is contemplated that availableimages for selection can also be stored in other locations including aremote device (not shown) or a remote server (not shown), innon-limiting examples. Furthermore, the favorite image 275 can becaptured and imported by a user, such as by way of a mobile devicecamera (not shown) or image capture device (not shown); in anon-limiting example, a user can capture an image 292 of a baby bottleusing a mobile device camera and upload the image 292 to the washingmachine controller 95 to define as the favorite image 275 associatedwith the favorite cycle 270. The controller 95 can also be configured toutilize the name button 272 to provide for text entry, in one examplevia an on-screen keyboard (not shown), wherein a user can enter adesired name 273 for the favorite cycle 270 such as “Delicates,” “BabyClothes,” or “Denim,” in non-limiting examples. In addition, an editbutton 277 can be provided to allow a user to modify any prior-selectedparameter for the treating cycle before implementing in the washingmachine 10 or saving as a favorite cycle 270.

Upon selection of a favorite cycle 270, FIG. 13 illustrates theexemplary cycle selection screen 251 wherein the favorite cycle 270 isdisplayed with the associated name 273 of “Baby Clothes” and thefavorite image 275 of a baby bottle, along with the user-selectedoptions 261, 262, 263, 264. The garment features or amount of soiling orstaining in the “Baby Clothes” favorite cycle 270 can warrant the use ofa hot water temperature, two rinse cycles, a long wash cycle time, and afast spin speed, in the example of FIG. 13. Another favorite cycle 270“Grass Stains” is illustrated in FIG. 14 with a favorite image 270 of asoccer ball, along with the user-selected options 261, 262, 263, 264corresponding to a hot water temperature, single rinse, long wash cycletime, and slow spin speed, respectively. It is further contemplated thatthe favorite cycle 270 can be modified by way of the edit button 277,for example by changing the associate favorite image 275, name 273, orother parameters.

Referring now to FIG. 15, it is further contemplated in anothernon-limiting example that the controller 95 can be configured toselectively display a listing screen 280 which includes a list offavorite cycles 270 illustrated by their associated favorite images 275,as well as a list of non-favorite cycles 271 which are illustrated intext form. In a non-limiting example, favorite images 275 of a babybottle, a soccer ball, a sun, and a bed can be displayed on thetouchscreen 150 to represent their associated “Baby Clothes,” “GrassStains,” “Line Dry” and “Sheets” favorite cycles 270, respectively. Inthis example each favorite image 275 can be selectable objects on thetouchscreen 150 wherein tapping or pressing the favorite image 275 caninstruct the controller 95 to implement its associated favorite cycle270.

Furthermore, the non-favorite cycles 271 on the listing screen 280 canbe generally-known or standard treating cycles which are not editableand are programmed in memory 98 (FIG. 2) at the time of manufacturing.It will be understood that either or both of the favorite cycles 270 andnon-favorite cycles 271 can be displayed in text or graphical format,and the non-favorite cycles 271 can also be user-editable to create newfavorite cycles 270 as desired. Other options or combinations in thespirit of the present disclosure are contemplated for use in the washingmachine 10.

In operation, a user can elect the favorite cycle 270 to be implementedby the washing machine 10 via the controller 95, and thus in this mannerthe controller 95 can be configured to associate a user-selectable image292 with a favorite cycle 270 of the set of cycles of operation todefine a favorite image 275, or also receive or import a user-selectableimage 292. Furthermore, the controller 95 can selectively display on theuser interface 96 the favorite image 275, for example displaying thefavorite image 275 on a favorites menu, and can also implement theassociated favorite cycle 270 upon selection by a user of the favoriteimage 275. In yet another example, the list of favorite cycles 270 canalso be included on the cycle selection screen 251 to be selectable inaddition to the options 261, 262, 263, 264. Thus the user interface 96can display the favorite image 275 and at least one other laundry cycleicon associated with an alternative laundry cycle, and the favoriteimage 275 and at least one other laundry cycle icon can be individuallyand alternately selectable via the user interface 96.

In still another example, the controller 95 can be configured to detectcommonly used settings, or commonly used cycles, and can automaticallydefine a favorite cycle 270 based thereon. In such a case, thecontroller 95 can also automatically prompt a user to associate auser-selectable image 292 with the automatically-defined favorite cycle270, where in a manner similar to that described above, the associatingcan include displaying images on the user interface 96 from thepre-existing database 290, and can also include receiving a userselection of the favorite image 275 from the displayed images 292.

FIG. 16 illustrates that upon completion of a treating cycle, includingthe favorite cycle 270, a completion screen 251C can be displayed on thetouchscreen 150 which can include features of the completed treatingcycle including the options 261, 262, 263, 264, and the favorite image275. The completion screen 251C can also include a save button or icon276, where a user can elect to save a recently-completed treating cycleas a new favorite cycle 270; in addition, the controller 95 canautomatically prompt a user to associate a user-selectable image 292with a favorite cycle 270, thereby defining the favorite image 275,after the favorite cycle 270 has been implemented.

It is further contemplated that the first and second icons 161, 162 ofFIG. 6 can also be displayed on the cycle selection screen 251, theverification screen 251B, or the completion screen 251C as desired,where the status of the bulk reservoir and cartridge 69, 100 can bevisible to a user while selecting treating cycle options. The icons 161,162 can also be selectable wherein pressing or tapping on either thefirst or second icon 161, 162 can cause the controller 95 to display thestatus or concentration of the associated bulk reservoir 69, 100 asdescribed above.

Referring now to FIG. 17, yet another aspect of the human-machineinterface that can be utilized to increase the user experience relatesto the addition of extra garments after a treating cycle has beenstarted. In such an instance, the controller 95 can be furtherconfigured to determine when a garment can or cannot be added to thetreating chamber 18 during a cycle of operation. More specifically, thecontroller 95 can be configured to begin the cycle of operation, atwhich time the controller 95 is configured to move the lock mechanism 25(FIG. 1) to the locked position 25L to secure the door 24 in a closedposition.

Occasionally a user may desire to add another garment to the treatingchamber 18 (FIG. 1); it can be non-optimal or unsafe to open the door 24or to add the garment to the laundry load within the treating chamber18, depending on which stage of the cycle of operation is beingimplemented at the time of desired garment addition. For example, duringa spin operation, clothes or water can exit the access opening 15 if thedoor 24 is allowed to be opened; alternately, if a final rinse cycle iscurrently in progress, it can be undesirable to add an additionalgarment to the treating chamber 18 which can soil the rest of thelaundry load. Therefore the controller 95 can also be configured todetermine when a garment can be added to the treating chamber 18 duringthe cycle of operation; the determination can be based on any suitablefactor, including factors which result from utilizing received outputfrom the washing machine sensors S (FIG. 2) such as, in non-limitingexamples: detection of little to no standing water in the treatingchamber 18; whether a spin cycle is currently being performed; whether atreating cycle has progressed too far for optimal cleaning of theadditional garment; whether a temperature in the treating chamber 18 istoo high to safely add a garment; or whether an agitation cycle iscurrently in progress. Furthermore, the determination by the controller95 can be performed repeatedly, at regular or irregular time intervals,or for a given time duration such as the first 10 minutes following thestart of a cycle of operation, in non-limiting examples.

The touchscreen 150 can include a status screen 351 to be displayedduring the cycle of operation. The status screen 351 can include avariety of indicators 360, including parameters such as temperature,spin speed, cycle duration, or time remaining until the current cycle ofoperation is completed. Furthermore, the first and second icons 161, 162can also be displayed on the status screen 351. Any or all of theindicators 360 and icons 161, 162 can be selectable for a user to adjustoperation parameters as described above.

Turning to FIG. 18, upon determining, by the controller 95, that agarment can be added to the treating chamber 18, the controller 95 canbe configured to display an Add Garment button 362 on the status screen351. Conversely, upon determination that a garment cannot or should notbe added, the controller 95 can be further configured to not display thebutton 362.

The Add Garment button 362 can be a selectable feature on thetouchscreen 150 via tapping, pressing, or other input gestures by auser. If a user desires to add a garment to the treating chamber 18, andthe Add Garment button 362 is being displayed on the status screen 351,the user can press the Add Garment button 362 and the controller 95 canbe configured to determine selection of the button 362.

Upon selecting the Add Garment button 362, the controller 95 can also beconfigured to both pause the current cycle of operation, includingpausing a spin cycle, pausing an addition of water to the treatingchamber 18, pausing of heating elements, or pausing of dispensingtreating chemistry, and also to move the lock mechanism 25 to theunlocked position 25U to allow for opening of the door 24 as describedin FIG. 1. “Pausing” as used herein can refer to temporary cessation ofoperation of components of the washing machine 10 (FIG. 1), includingrotation of the drum 16, spraying by the nozzle 56, heating by the sumpheater 84, or dispensing of treating chemistry by the dispensing system60, in non-limiting examples. It is also contemplated that thecontroller 95 can be further configured to play an audible alert thatthe lock mechanism 25 is in the unlocked position 25U.

While the cycle of operation is paused, the controller 95 can be furtherconfigured to present the user with a confirmation screen 351C on thetouchscreen 150 as illustrated in FIG. 19. The confirmation screen 351Ccan present information or instructions for the user, includingprompting a user to add a garment to the treatment chamber 18. Thecontroller 95 can also display a Start button 364 to prompt the user torestart the cycle of operation once the garment has been added.

After the addition of a garment or garments to the treating chamber 18,the user can close the door 24 and press the Start button 364 on theconfirmation screen 351C. The controller 95 can be further configured todetermine selection of the Start button 364 during a paused cycle ofoperation; upon this determination the lock mechanism 25 can be moved tothe locked position 25L as described in FIG. 1, and the cycle ofoperation can be resumed or restarted.

In another example, the controller 95 can be configured to sense an openor closed position of the door 24 upon determination that the AddGarment button 362 has been pressed. In this example, the cycle ofoperation can be paused, the lock mechanism 25 can be moved to theunlocked position 25U and the controller 95 can also detect that a userhas opened the door 24. Upon detection that the door 24 has been closed,for example after the addition of the garment, the controller 95 canautomatically restart the cycle of operation without prompting the user.In yet another example, the controller 95 can automatically restart thecycle of operation if a user fails to press the Start button 364 after agiven time duration such as 3 minutes. It can be appreciated that otherexamples in the spirit of the present disclosure can be utilized in thewashing machine 10.

Aspects of the present disclosure provide for a variety of benefits,including that information regarding the state of a component in theappliance such as the bulk reservoirs can be communicated to a user inreal time through the use of dynamic icons, as well as an improvement inaccessibility to change or select a parameter related to that componentby way of interacting directly with the dynamic icons. In an examplewhere a bulk reservoir is not visible to a user, it can be appreciatedthat the use of dynamic icons can communicate a fill level, presence, oroperating status of the bulk reservoir, which improves the userexperience. Additionally, often-used cycle parameters can be saved bythe appliance as a favorite cycle, and the ability to upload or select acustom image to associate with a given favorite cycle can improveusability and reduce complexity when a user interacts with theappliance. Furthermore, the feedback provided by the appliance regardingan appropriate time to add extra garments can allow for increasedconvenience when such a need is discovered, while preventing undesirableoutcomes which can occur if the appliance door is allowed to open at anactive point in a cycle, or if an extra garment is added at a point in atreating cycle where sufficient cleaning cannot occur.

To the extent not already described, the different features andstructures of the various embodiments can be used in combination witheach other as desired. That one feature cannot be illustrated in all ofthe embodiments is not meant to be construed that it cannot be, but isdone for brevity of description. Thus, the various features of thedifferent embodiments can be mixed and matched as desired to form newembodiments, whether or not the new embodiments are expressly described.Further, while the above described embodiments have been described withrespect to clothes washing machines the embodiments can be implementedin any suitable laundry treating appliance. For example, if theembodiments are implemented in a clothes dryer, the parameter selectionscan also include a drying time, drying temperature, addition of steam,tumble speed, or the like.

While the invention has been specifically described in connection withcertain specific embodiments thereof, it is to be understood that thisis by way of illustration and not of limitation. Reasonable variationand modification are possible within the scope of the forgoingdisclosure and drawings without departing from the spirit of theinvention which is defined in the appended claims.

1. A laundry treating appliance for treating laundry, comprising: a treating chamber provided for receiving the laundry for treatment according to a cycle of operation; a dispensing system including a bulk dispenser fluidly coupled with the treating chamber and configured to deliver a charge of treating chemistry from at least one of a set of bulk reservoirs to the treating chamber; a controller having a memory in which is stored a set of executable instructions comprising the cycle of operation; and a user interface operably coupled with the controller and having a touchscreen configured to provide an input and output function for the controller; wherein the controller is configured to selectively display on the user interface an icon related to each of the set of bulk reservoirs, wherein the controller is configured to determine a status of the set of bulk reservoirs and update the display of the icons based on the determined status and wherein the controller is configured to determine a user selection of the icon and display user-selectable parameter selections related to the bulk dispenser.
 2. The laundry treating appliance of claim 1 wherein the bulk dispenser can deliver a charge from any number of the set of bulk reservoirs.
 3. The laundry treating appliance of claim 1 wherein the at least one of the set of bulk reservoirs comprises a bulk tank.
 4. The laundry treating appliance of claim 3 wherein another of the set of bulk reservoirs comprises a bulk cartridge receivable within a portion of the dispensing system.
 5. The laundry treating appliance of claim 4 wherein the dispensing system further comprises a drawer having configured to receive the bulk cartridge.
 6. The laundry treating appliance of claim 5 wherein the drawer further comprises at least one non-bulk dispensing cup having a dispenser siphon configured to remove liquid from the at least one non-bulk dispensing cup.
 7. The laundry treating appliance of claim 1 wherein the controller is configured to update the display of the icon to reflect at least one of: reservoir level low, reservoir empty, reservoir level ok, bulk dispensing disabled, or bulk dispensing off.
 8. The laundry treating appliance of claim 1 wherein the controller is configured to display the user-selectable parameter selections related to the bulk dispenser on another screen of the touchscreen.
 9. The laundry treating appliance of claim 8 wherein the controller is configured to receive a parameter selection from the user including at least one of deactivate, activate, set detergent concentration, or change detergent concentration.
 10. A method of operating a laundry treating appliance having a dispensing system including a bulk dispenser fluidly coupled with a treating chamber and configured to deliver a charge of treating chemistry from at least one of a set of bulk reservoirs to the treating chamber, a controller having a memory in which is stored a set of executable instructions comprising a cycle of operation, and a user interface operably coupled with the controller and having a touchscreen configured to provide an input and output function for the controller, the method comprising: determining, via the controller, a status of the at least one of the set of bulk reservoirs; displaying, on the touchscreen, icons based on the determining; receiving a user selection of one of the displayed icons; and displaying user-selectable parameter selections related to the bulk dispenser on a second screen view of the touchscreen.
 11. The method of claim 10, further comprising repeating the determining the status of the set of bulk reservoirs and the displaying the icons based on the determining.
 12. The method of claim 11 wherein the repeating comprises repeating at the beginning of multiple cycles of operation.
 13. The method of claim 10, further comprising determining user selected parameter selections.
 14. The method of claim 13, further comprising operating the laundry treating appliance according to a user selected treating cycle and the determined user selected parameter selections.
 15. A laundry treating appliance for treating laundry, comprising: a treating chamber provided for receiving the laundry for treatment according to a cycle of operation; a dispensing system including a bulk dispenser fluidly coupled with the treating chamber and configured to deliver a charge of treating chemistry from at least one of a set of bulk reservoirs to the treating chamber; a controller having a memory in which is stored a set of executable instructions comprising the cycle of operation; and a user interface operably coupled with the controller and having a touchscreen configured to provide an input and output function for the controller and wherein the touchscreen is configured to selectively display a reservoir icon corresponding to each of the set of bulk reservoirs; wherein the controller is configured to selectively display on the user interface an icon related to each of the bulk reservoirs, wherein the controller is configured to determine a status of each of the bulk reservoirs and update the display of the icons based on the determined status and wherein the controller is configured to determine a user selection of one of the icon and display user-selectable parameter selections related to the corresponding bulk reservoir.
 16. The laundry treating appliance of claim 15 wherein the bulk dispenser can deliver a charge from any number of the set of bulk reservoirs.
 17. The laundry treating appliance of claim 15 wherein the dispensing system further comprises at least one non-bulk dispensing cup fluidly coupled to the treating chamber via a dispenser siphon configured to remove liquid from the at least one non-bulk dispensing cup.
 18. The laundry treating appliance of claim 15 wherein the controller is configured to update the display of the icon to reflect at least one of: reservoir level low, reservoir empty, reservoir level ok, reservoir disabled, or bulk dispensing off.
 19. The laundry treating appliance of claim 15 wherein the controller is configured to display the user-selectable parameter selections related to the bulk reservoir on another screen of the touchscreen.
 20. The laundry treating appliance of claim 19 wherein the controller is configured to receive a parameter selection from the user including at least one of deactivate, activate, set detergent concentration, or change detergent concentration. 